Supply–Demand Matching of Smart Parcel Lockers in a Residential Area: Insights from Tianjin

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in the use of self-service facilities (SSFs) in residential areas worldwide. Previous studies on SSFs mainly focused on their application in commercial or other scenarios. However, SSFs in residential areas have not been thoroughly studied. This study develops an analytical framework for assessing both the supply and demand for SSFs in residential areas. The study evaluates 2693 residential communities and 479 smart parcel lockers (SPLs) in Tianjin, China. The results show that the high-demand area for SPLs is within 300 m of home, while the high-supply area is 300–600 m from home. Further analysis using the Gini coefficient and location quotient shows that the top 20% of the population have access to 80% of SPLs, and most residential communities experience an oversupply. Our study suggests that a mismatch between the supply and demand of SPLs may result in massive public space waste, resource waste, and inequity. Given the many uncertainties of the future, this study highlights the need to consider the dynamic supply–demand relationship of SSFs. This may encourage urban planners, policymakers, and experts in other related disciplines to work towards a more service-efficient and equitable utilization of SSFs in residential areas.

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